THE CIRIN BULLETIN
Conference
Interpreting Research
Information Network
An independent network for the
dissemination of information on
conference interpreting
research (CIR)
__________________________________________________________________
BULLETIN n°36
June 2008
Editor: Daniel Gile
Contributors to
this issue:
Ivana
Čeňková (IC), Peter Mead (PM), WANG Binhua (WBH), WANG Xiao Ying
(WXY), XIAO Xiaoyan (XY), ZHANG Ailing (ZA)
Editorial address:
D. Gile, 46, rue d'Alembert,
92190 Meudon,
tel/fax +33 1 45 34 83 84
e-mail: daniel.gile@yahoo.com
Web site: http://www.cirinandgile.com
This Bulletin aims at
contributing to the dissemination of information on conference interpreting
research (CIR) and at providing useful information to members of the CIR
community worldwide. It is intended to achieve maximum coverage of research
into this sub-field of interpreting, and only occasionally refers to research
and publications in other sub-fields. The Bulletin is published twice a
year, in December and June. For further information and electronic or paper
copies of early issues (the last issue is available on the Web site at any
time), please contact D. Gile.
Note: the
mini-abstracts are followed by the initials of the contributors who sent in the
information, but the text may also be written or adapted from the original text
by D.Gile, who takes responsibility for the comments and for potential errors
introduced by him.
* *
*
In May this year, the 7th national
Conference and International Forum on Interpreting was held in
The number
of Chinese publications on conference interpreting in this and other Bulletins
(60 out of the 100 entries in this issue) is not necessarily a good indication
of actual research production in China: some of the texts focus on training
without theoretical development or empirical research, some are repetitive both
because they reiterate the same ideas and because in China, it is apparently
acceptable for an author to publish the same texts twice or even three times in
different media. However, as becomes especially clear when reading M.A. theses
(from 12 to 18 every year since 2004), there is new research in several
universities in
Daniel Gile
AHRENS,
Barbara. 2007. Pauses (and other prosodic features) in
Simultaneous Interpreting. Forum 5:2.
1-18.
* The author compared the frequency and length
of pauses in a source speech and target speeches by 3 interpreters.
Interestingly, she found that there were less pauses in the target speeches
than in the source speeches, but there were more long pauses in the target
speeches.
BAO, Xiao Ying. 2008. Pragmatic Transfer in Cross-Cultural Interpretation (in Chinese).
In WANG & WANG (eds). 51-57.
Boéri, Julie.
* This paper focuses on the work of
Babels, an international network of volunteer translators and interpreters, and
examines a specific controversy surrounding its positioning in relation to
volunteer and activist practices of interpreting in the context of the World
Social Forum. Adopting a narrative perspective, it first examines some of the
stories elaborated by Babels – of itself as a group and of its stance on
activist interpreting in the Social Forum. It then offers an analysis of a
letter that is highly critical of Babels, written by Peter Naumann, a
professional interpreter, and published in AIIC’s online journal Communicate. The study reported here
is part of a larger project (Boéri, in progress). Rather than outlining binary
and discrete positions, the picture that emerges out of the analysis offered
here, and particularly in Boéri (in progress), is one of an open-ended,
network-like constellation of positionings that are available to and taken up
by members of the conference interpreting community, including members of
Babels and AIIC. The paper ultimately argues for further critical reflection on
the narratives that circulate among members of the conference interpreting
community, especially those relating to issues of volunteering, activism and
professionalism.
CHAI, Mingjiong. 2007.
Specialization of Interpreting Training and Studies Based on Professional
Interpreting. Journal of Guangdong
University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research.
26-28.
CHANG, Shiru. 2008. Interpreting: Paraphrasing and Equivalence (in Chinese). Foreign Languages and their Teaching
2008/4. 61-63.
* Abstract: The theory of paraphrase (the
Interpretive Theory) lays focus on the description for the cognitive process in
interpretation, dividing interpretation into three stages: understanding,
deverbalization and expression in the target language. As interpretation is
practiced incessantly within time limits and with a large vocabulary,
“deverbalization” is a necessity in the process of interpretation in which
meanings are condensed, abstracted and refined in order to reformulate the
essential and key information into the target language. As the stage of
reepxression, the Equivalence Theory proposed by Nida is also adaptable to
communication-oriented interpretation. A number of adjustments must be made in
order to achieve an ideal effect among the audience, so that substantive
communication is realized through “dynamic equivalence” or “functional equivalence”.
The interpretation must follow the linguistic and cultural customs of the
target languages so that the information can be easily understood and accepted
by the audience. Paraphrase and equivalence constitute the basic theory for
interpretation.
CHEUNG, Andrew Kay-Fan. 2007. The Effectiveness of Summary Training in
Consecutive Interpreting Delivery. Forum
5:2. 1-22.
* A comparison of the performance in Consecutive
Interpreting in two groups of students of 22 and 23 students respectively, one
of which was trained more intensively in summarizing exercises than the other.
The grading (by two independent rates) was done on accuracy, completeness,
coherence and fluency. A small difference was found in favour of the group
trained more intensively, but it was not statistically significant. Well
designed empirical studies such as this one are welcome in the field. When
replicated, they may give valuable indications on the relative effectiveness of
various training methods and exercises (DG)
CHOI, Jungwha. 2007. Study on Job Satisfaction and Directions for the Training of
Conference Interpreters. Forum 5:2.38.
Déjean Le Féal, Karla. 2005.
L’interprétation simultanée vers une langue apprise. Peut-on et doit-on
l’enseigner? In Israël & Lederer (eds). 21-43.
Donovan,
Clare. 2005.
* A clear presentation of key features of ESIT’s ‘interpretive theory’
and of its central role in orienting training and justifying translation
strategies. Quite convincing with respect to the usefulness of the theory in
training at ESIT.
Donovan, Clare. 2008. Closing the Expertise Gap: A concrete example of guided reflection on
a conference experience. Forum 6:1.
35-58.
* A paper on volunteer experience for interpreter trainees and on
delegates’ non-linguistic motivations for and against using interpreting – and
implications. The author highlights the social and psychological reasons for
which delegates are reluctant to use interpreting services, as well as the
resulting consequences in terms of communication. In the reported case study,
where volunteer student-interpreters interpreted for a meeting of a European
university network, students also found that by adopting an active position and
explaining what they could offer rather than accept passively a situation where
they would not interpret, they made an impact both on the delegates and on
communication. Interesting and thought-provoking. Incidentally, this paper is a
report on personal experience with reflections – not a research paper - and is
valuable as such. Most of the 18 citations from the literature do not
contribute much and look like an unnecessary concession to academic writing
standards. Perhaps it is time we acknowledge that professional literature need
not abide by the same conventions as research literature? (DG)
FENG, Jianzhong. 2008. Professional ethics: an indispensable part for CATTI. (in
Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 246-253.
* The author laments the absence of an ethics component in the
GAO, Bin & CHAI, Mingjiong. 2008. On the Design of Core Courses for Conference
Interpreter Training. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 163-171.
* Based on the European Masters in Conference Interpreting (EMCI).
Gong Longsheng.
2008. From Interpretive Theory to the Study of Interpreting. (in Chinese) Foreign Language in
* Abstract: This
paper highlights the interpretive theory, which was established in the 1980s
and was once the guiding theory of interpreting research in the West due to its
ever-perfecting framework and unique perspective. Its establishment marked the
transition of interpreting research in the West from the Experimental
Psychology Period to the Practitioners’ Period. It has also exerted a great
influence on interpreting research in
Key Words: the interpretive theory; the Paris school;
establishment; perfection; main idea; innovation; development
HOU, Tian.
2007. The ‘Absence Effect Theory’ and the Interpreter's Emergency Strategies.
(in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong
University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research.
54-57.
HUANG, Min. 2008. On the role and methods of language enhancement in interpreter
training. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 206-211.
HUANG, Xiaojia & WANG, Jianguo.
2007. Interpreting and Treason. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue
on translation research. 65-68.
* Draws a parallel between treason theories in written translation and
treason in interpreting.
Iwamoto, Akemi. 2007. Features of and issues in the interpreting practicum of the M.A.
Japanese-Chinese simultaneous interpreting training program at the Beijing
Language and Culture University. (in Japanese). Interpretation Studies 7. 231-267.
* By a Japanese exchange student from
Ito-Bergerot, Hiromi. 2007. Investigating the fundamental process of consecutive interpreting.
(in Japanese) Interpretation Studies
7.89-116.
* An interesting attempt to interpret Seleskovitch’s ‘deverbalization’
concept in the light of cognitive research on language comprehension. On the
basis of the literature and of examples drawn from her students’ consecutive
without notes, the author concludes inter alia that deverbalization occurs as
the macro-level, but at the micro-level, surface structures may remain locally
in the interpreters’ memory.
Kondo, Masaomi. 2008. Mutliple Layers of Meaning – Toward a Deepening of the “Sense”
Theory of Interpreting. In WANG & WANG (eds). 35-40.
* A short and thought-provoking paper by veteran Japanese interpreter and
founder of JAIS Masaomi KONDO. Kondo stresses the existence of ambiguity in
Japanese speeches beyond linguistic difficulties associated with the
non-explicitation of subjects, singular vs. plural etc. He says that “some may
feel dismayed at the professed difficulty of understanding utterances in [the]
interpreters’ native tongue, but we must take this expressed difficulty as
genuine, and as a significant interpreting phenomenon to be explained
adequately” (p.36). By adding that he feels Japanese interpreters are ideally
placed to raise this point, hopefully to contribute to a deeper understanding
of the interpreting process (p.36), he highlights one advantage of looking at
interpreting into B from the viewpoint of research. In a second part of the
paper, Kondo cites two well-known anecdotes in Japanese conference
interpreting. He suggests that at least three layers of meaning should be
distinguished: the surface layer, meaning in the sense of semantic or
informational content, and implied meaning, and highlights the difficulty for
many interpreters to understand the third layer with sufficient confidence to
act upon it when interpreting.
Lederer, Marianne. 2008. Interpreting
into a B Language: How it could be Raised up to the Conference Interpreting
Standards. Chinese Translators Journal
29:1. 22-26.
* The pros and cons of simultaneously interpreting into a foreign language
are discussed in this paper. The main difficulties for Chinese-English
interpreting are listed and advice is given to trainees on how to work them out
one by one. Based on the consensus reached by interpreting schools in the
European Union, the paper also lays down directions to trainers on when and how
it is advisable to teach simultaneous interpretation into B, and how to make it
acceptable to foreign listeners.
Key words:
interpreting; B language; training; EMCI
Lederer, Marianne. 2008. Interpreting
into a foreign (B) Language; How to raise it up to the Conference Interpreting
Standards. In WANG & WANG (eds). 219-230.
* Same as above?
Lederer, Marianne.
2008. Can Theory Help Translator and Interpreter Trainers and Trainees? In WANG
& WANG (eds). 107-129.
* The author’s
strongest point in answering the question she formulates in the title of her
paper is probably her statement (p.110) that “the aim of training courses is to
avoid would-be translators having to learn slowly by trial and error while
looking for the most adequate strategies, and to offer them shortcuts to
competence”, which justifies the introduction of some theory in training.
LEE, Migyong. 2007. Transfer of Frames during Simultaneous Interpreting. Forum 5:2.39-56.
* ‘Frames’ in this paper refers to cultural values and expectations. The
author comments interestingly that intercultural gaps between the speaker and
users of the interpretation service require specific strategies which also
entail a price in processing capacity.
LI Cheng. 2007. Form, Tactic and Cognitive
Requirement-On the Differences between Simultaneous Interpreting and
Consecutive Interpreting. (in
Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University
of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 61-64.
* A theoretical analysis,
based on Gile’s Effort Models.
LIAO, Bo Sen.
* TATI stands for
LIM, Hyang-Ok. 2007. Negotiating in English: Serving two masters. Forum 5:2. 57-78.
* On negotiation styles.
LIU, Heping. 2008. Positioning and Professionalism in Interpreter Training. (in
Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 144-153.
* The author suggests professional interpreting should be divided into
three levels.
LIU, Heping. 2007.
Positioning and Professionalism in Interpreter Training. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign
Studies, special issue on translation research. 21-25.
* Similar to
above.
LIU, Heping. 2007. Pour un enseignement
professionnel de l’interprétation à différents niveaux –le cas de
* See above
LIU, Heping.
2008. Difference between Interpretation Teaching and Language Teaching and
Levels of Interpretation Teaching. (in Chinese) Chinese Academic Journal, 2008/2: 118-121.
* Abstract: Language
acquisition is aimed to understand and express one’s own thoughts in a foreign
language. Foreign language teaching, which is to help and teach students in
their acquisition of linguistic competence, has its specific characteristics
and rules. Foreign language teaching and interpretation teaching, though
related, are different, the latter of which is aimed to enable students to
express in a language what they hear in another language. Their differences can
play a decisive role in the success of teaching, which lie in the targets,
contents, and methodology of teaching as well as students psychological
aspects. The author of this paper emphasizes the phased training of
interpreting skills and proposes that continuity and systematization in
interpreter training should be achieved in the undergraduate and graduate
interpretation courses.
Key words: Foreign language teaching; interpretation
teaching; language ability; interpretation skill; systematization [WBH]
LIU, Jianjun. 2008. Learning productive vocabulary in Chinese-English interpreting.
(in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 212-218.
LIU, Jianzhu. 2008. On the construction of a multiple-dimension assessment system for
interpreter training. (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 287-296.
LIU, Shaolong.
* Abstract:
Bilingual interpreting is a special means or activity of information
transmission or oral communication, in which the interpreter acts as an
intermediary between two parties of speaker and listener. The p resent paper
has, on the basis of critical review of the existing Transmission Model of
Interpreting, managed to set up a tentative meta2communication model of interpreting
in an attempt to illustrate the complex mental process of oral communication
via interpreting and to highlight the dynamic go-between role of interpreter in
the transmission of auditory information from the source speaker to the target
listener.
Key Words:
interpreting; meta-communication model; cognitive study [WBH]
LIU, Shaolong & YANG, Liuqi.
LIU, Yuhong & HUANG, Li. 2008. Co-ordinate Bilingual vs. Compound Bilingual.
(in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 77-85.
* The authors discuss these two forms of bilingualism and conclude that
they are not relevant for interpreter training on the Chinese mainland.
Minns,
Philip. 2005. Application de
Mullamaa, Kristina. 2004. Processes in simultaneous
interpretation: A mental models and relevance theoretical approach. In
Krista Vogelberg (ed) Encounters.Linguistic
and Cultural-Psychological Aspects of Communicative Processes. Cultural
Studies Series No. 3. Eds. Vogelberg, K., Soovik,
Moser-Mercer, Barbara. 2008.
Skill Acquisition in Interpreting. A Human Performance Perspective. The
Interpreter and Translator Trainer 2:1.1-28.
* Abstract:
Performance is central to
interpreting, both at the professional level and in the classroom. Successful
expert performance that meets the standards set for entry into the profession
allows students to transition into the world of professional practice. Past
research on the cognitive dimensions of interpreting has led to modelling the
interpreting process of the hypothetical expert interpreter with solid
professional experience. However, skill acquisition in interpreting and the
various stages learners pass through towards more expert performance cannot readily
be explained with the models developed for expert interpreters. There are
numerous factors that co-determine successful expert performance; many of them,
however, are not replicated in novice performance; also, the learning
environment produces additional factors that will not transition into
professional practice. This paper attempts to look at skill acquisition in
interpreting from a performance psychology perspective, with particular
reference to the development of adaptive expertise. Additional data are
presented to provide a first performance psychology look at the ageing
interpreting student. The author seeks to model the interpreting student’s
learning environment as it has evolved in the 21st century as well as the skill
acquisition process in the age of new technologies.
Muylle, Noël. 2005.
L’interprétation au Service Commun Interprétation-Conférences (SCIC).
Philosophie générale et pratique de
Ono, Takahiro, Tohyama, Hitomi & Matsubara, Shigeru.
* Another empirical research project
using the
OU YANG, Qianhua. 2008. Research and Reflection on
Features of Television Interpreting. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds).
58-66.
PAVLOVIĆ, Nataša. 2007. Directionality in
Translation and Interpreting Practice: Report on a questionnaire survey in
* Another interesting paper on
directionality as it is seen in the field. The analysis of 193 valid responses
to a questionnaire in
Pöchhacker, Franz. 2007. “Going Simul?”
Technology-assisted Consecutive Interpreting. Forum 5:2. 101-124.
*
A very interesting paper on a new hybrid mode of interpreting which is
being experimented: a speaker makes a speech which is recorded by the
interpreter who then interprets the recording simultaneously. Pöchhacker recalls
the birth and first steps in the field of this hybrid interpreting mode and
reviews available experience. He then reports on a small-scale experiment
conducted in
Pöchhacker, Franz. 2008. Quality standards in
interpreting: theory and application. In WANG & WANG (eds). 231-245.
* The author starts by reviewing
work on the topic by pioneering practitioners, then analyzes quality concepts
and their components, and finally discusses existing standards. A conceptual
view of the topic.
Ramler, Siegfried. 2007. The Origin and Challenges of
Simultaneous Interpretation: The
* Based on a special lecture given
by the author on, February 18, 2006 at
REN, Wen & HU, Minxia. 2007. Assessing
and Re-designing Universities' SI Training Courses in
*A summary of the concept and
practice of simultaneous interpreter training courses in major universities in
mainland
Shinzaki, Ryuko. 2007. The process of acquiring
intercultural communication competence. (in Japanese) A case study in the
classroom. Interpretation Studies 7.
65-88.
* Participatory observation and the
students’ emailed comments to the instructor were used to investigate the
evolution of awareness in six students taking an interpreting class at
university. The author finds that interpreting exercises tend to develop
intercultural communication competence. The author also says that intercultural
communication competence in interpreters is essentially similar to
intercultural communication competence in direct communication and is acquired
in five major steps: basic knowledge of languages and cultures, basic language
skills, interpersonal communication competence and willingness to understand
people of different cultures and to take positive action to resolve
misunderstandings. Consideration for others and creativity in thinking about
their needs are essential in developing intercultural competence.
SONG, Jiayin. 2008. The influence of a speaker’s
PPT on the quality of simultaneous interpreting. (in Chinese) In WANG &
WANG (eds). 86-92.
* Within the framework of the Effort
Models, the author tries to explore the influence of a power point presentation
on interpreting quality under three conditions: slides provided to the
interpreters beforehand, slides provided at the time of the presentation, and
no slides provided to the interpreters.
TAKEDA, Kayoko. 2007. The Making of an Interpreter
User. Forum 5:1. 245-263.
* An analysis of interpreting at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal after
WWII in the light of negotiated interpreting norms.
Tanaka, Miyuki, Ino K.,
Kawahara K., Shinzaki R., Nakamura S. 2007. Tapping
into the needs and wishes of interpreting students – from the 2007 JAIS
Educational SIG Survey. (in Japanese) Interpretation
Studies 7. 253-263.
* In 2005, more than 105
universities had courses related to interpreting and there was no clear picture
about the nature of the courses, qualifications of instructors etc., hence the
survey. From the information collected, it appears inter alia that for many
students, ‘interpreting classes’ are a way to enhance their language skills in
English, and that “interpreting” is taught to students who are far from having
the minimum required mastery of the foreign language….
TAO, Youlan. 2008. Theoretical Guiding
Principles for the Preparation of Interpreting Coursebooks for Translation
Majors. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 154-162.
* The author suggests that
translation theories, psycho-educational theories and intercultural
communication theories should be taken on board as a theoretical basis for the
preparation of coursebooks for interpreter training.
Timarová, Šárka
& Harry Ungoed-Thomas. 2008. Admission testing for interpreting courses. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer 2:1.29-46.
* Abstract
Admission testing is an integral part of interpreter training, yet it is
surrounded by much controversy and scepticism. This paper first looks into some
general principles of designing an admission test (its purpose, link with
curriculum, effectiveness and efficiency of testing), emphasizing the
dissociation between skills to be tested and tests used for tapping them. The
authors then present data from a small-scale study in which 18 interpreting
schools provided information on their admission testing practice and answered
questions related to the skills tested and tests employed, and to the overall
efficiency of their admission procedure. Based on this analysis, they conclude
that there is a reasonable consensus among schools in terms of which tests are
best suited to test which skill, but that new approaches to admission testing
are needed to improve their efficiency. More specifically, the authors suggest that
schools improve their recording systems, that soft skills are included in
formal testing, and that new testing methods are explored.
Tohyama, Hitomi & Matsubara, Shigeki. 2007. The relationship between fillers and ease of listening
in English-Japanese simultaneous interpreting. (in Japanese) Interpretation Studies 7. 39-49.
* A sequel to previous studies by the same authors on simultaneous
interpreting delivery. In this case, the authors focused of fillers in a
recorded corpus of simultaneous interpreting from
Van Besien,
Fred & Chris Meuleman.
2007. Style Differences among Simultaneous Interpreters: A Pilot Study. The Translator 14:1. 135-55.
* This paper offers empirical evidence for the
existence of style differences among
simultaneous interpreters. The material consists of the simultaneous
interpretation into English of two parts of a semi-prepared Dutch interview, by
two professional interpreters. The resulting data is analyzed with a view to
identifying differences in the strategies used by the two interpreters. The
analysis reveals differences between the two interpreters in the way they
employ global strategies (presentation, additions, omissions) as well as the
extent to which they rely upon certain local strategies, such as transcoding
and backtracking. Other local strategies such as anticipation and the use of
pauses (filled or not) are equally distributed between the interpreters. A
tentative distinction is made between two types of interpreter according to
their interpreting style: the producer of a ‘lean’ target text and the producer
of an ‘abundant’ target text.
WANG, Binhua.
WANG Binhua & MU
Lei. 2008. Approaches and Methods of Interpreting Studies:
Retrospect and Prospect. (in Chinese) Foreign
Language in
* Abstract: This
paper reviews the major approaches and methods of interpreting studies
throughout its history, from which we can see that interpreting studies are
developing towards interdisciplinarity and the research methodology is evolving
from objective speculation based on experience to objective description and
empirical analysis based on data. Such retrospect and prospect may provide
valuable guidance to interpreting researchers in
Key Words: interpreting studies; approaches and
methods; retrospect and prospects [WBH]
WANG, Dongzhi.
2007. The Current Situation and Trends for Interpreting Studies in
WANG, Dongzhi & WANG, Lidi. 2008. Interpreting Quality and Control. (in
Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 254-262.
WANG, Enmian. 2008. Interpreting
into the B Language: The East Asian Experiences. (in Chinese) Chinese Translators Journal 29:1. 72-75
* This paper
looks into the practice of interpreting into the B language by comparatively
analyzing surveys conducted in recent years among professional interpreters in
three East Asian countries, China, Korea and Japan. In the light which these
surveys shed, the author offers some suggestions to institutes of interpreters
training for dealing with the problems they commonly encounter.
Key words:
interpreting; the B language; training; quality evaluation
WANG, Enmian. 2008. Interpreting
into the B Language: The East Asian Experience. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG
(eds). 3-13.
* Same as above?
WANG, Hong & WANG, Jincheng.
WANG, Qiong. 2008. The omission strategy in simultaneous interpreting. (in Chinese).
In WANG & WANG (eds). 93-106.
* Within the framework of the Effort Models, the author argues in favour
of omission as a strategy when facing cognitive saturation.
WANG, Xiangling,
WIE, An & JIANG, Jiansong. 2008. An Empirical Study of Interpreting Quality from
the Perspective of Conference Delegates. (in Chinese) Foreign Languages and Their Teaching. 2008/3: 59-62.
* Abstract: The
paper conducts an empirical study of a questionnaire survey to delegates of an economic
conference and a teaching conference, followed by face to face in-depth
interviews. The result shows that two different group s of interpretation users
(bilinguals vs. monolinguals) have different attitudes and expectations towards
such factors as completeness, fluency and terminology etc. The speakers,
interpreters and listeners do not agree on the interpreters’ role, either.
Therefore it is suggested interpreters adjust their interpretation strategies
to suit different types of conferences and different users in order to produce
better interpretation quality.
Keywords: interpretation users; interpreters;
interpretation quality; interpreters’ role; empirical study [WBH]
XU, Luomai. 2008. IT-Based innovation on interpreter training methodology. (in
Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds).
192-205.
XU, Ming. 2008. Cognitive Studies on Interpretation in
the West: An Overview. (in Chinese) Chinese Translators Journal 29:1.16-21
* Using the salient features of interpretation and the hierarchical
order of human processing of information as its organizing principles, this
article surveys the cognitively-oriented researches conducted by Western
scholars on simultaneous and consecutive interpretation. On the basis of their
findings, the author offers a discussion of the cognitive problems encountered
in the processes of interpretation.
Key words:
interpretation; cognitive mechanism; information processing
XU, Mingwu & ZUO, Hongfen.
2008. Stress-reducing strategies for press conference interpretations. (n
Chinese) Chinese translators’ journal 29:3. 77-81
*Abstract:
Keeping an eye on the nature of translation, the present article explores the
caused for the psychological pressure which interpreters tend to feel.
Analyzing the data collected from some top-level official press conferences in
recent years, the authors identify a number of strategies for reducing the
interpreter’s stress, emphasizing the need meanwhile to take the interpreter’s
competence into consideration when deciding which strategy to apply.
YANG, Liu. 2008. The rise of Western Interpreting Theories and their Reception in
* The author attempts to trace back the development of Western
interpreting theories and analyzes their reception in
ZHANG, Wei.
2008. Interpreting quality evaluation: the user’s viewpoint. (in Chinese) In
WANG & WANG (eds). 263-276.
* A survey which
suggests that users attach more important to content than to form and that
their features as users influence their perception of interpreting quality.
ZHANG, Wei.
2008. Awareness and the Ability to Communicate Cross - culturally: An Essential
Element of Interpreting Evaluation. (In Chinese) Journal of
* Abstract: Interpretation
can be defined as a special kind of cross - cultural communication.
Interpreting - specific cultural factors mainly involve social linguistic
behavior, cultural mode , values and way of expressing. So the interpreter’s
cross - cultural communicative abilities are reflected both in linguistic
transformation and in functional adjustment of cultural implications and
communicative effects. Therefore, the interpreter’s cross - cultural abilities
should be taken as an essential element of interpreting evaluation.
Key words: interpretation; cross - cultural
communication; interpreting evaluation
[WBH]
ZHONG, Weihe.
2008. Principles and Methodology for Professional Interpreter Training. (in
Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 137-143.
* The author
develops Gile’s comprehension formula into a “knowledge formula” by adding
Professional Interpreting Skills and Artistic Interpreation Skills and suggests
curricula should be constructed on this basis.
ZHONG, Weihe. 2007. The
principles and methodology for training professional interpreters. (in Chinese)
Journal of Guangdong University of
Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 17-20.
* Same as above
M.A. AND GRADUATION THESES
CAO, Chengbi. 2008. An Exploratory Study on the Impacts of Pre-Task Preparation on
Anticipation in SI. M.A. thesis,
* Abstract：The thesis applies the Effort Model and Relevance
Theory to discuss the strategy of anticipation in SI and task preparation
respectively. The author tries to make an initial attempt to explore the
connections between the two, aiming at illustrating and proving a hypothesis:
task preparation can exert positive impacts on anticipation in SI, therefore, it
improves the quality of interpreting. The study is an empirical research
supported by an experiment test on the third-year postgraduates majoring in
interpretation at the
Key words: Task preparation, anticipation in SI,
impact
Cerkvenik, Marco. 2007. Using Gile's
Effort Model to Investigate Number Interpreting Efficacy. Unpublished graduation thesis,
* An interesting experimental graduation thesis which investigates the
efficiency of preparation on the translation of numbers in interpreting. A
total of 7 interpreting students were involved in the study, though the number
of subjects in each condition (with/without preparation, with/without knowledge
of the aims of the study, with/without a transcript of the speech) varied. The
author used the Efforts Models of simultaneous interpreting as a conceptual
framework, and his work was a follow-up to Mazza’s work in
CHEN, Yonghua.
* Abstract： This thesis is an attempt
to make a general comparison between English to Chinese simultaneous interpreting
(E-C SI) and Chinese to English simultaneous interpreting (C-E SI), aiming at
shedding light on the difficulties in E-C and C-E SI for Chinese trainees and
providing suggestions on coping tactics and skill improvement through analysis
on the data collected from an investigation on Chinese trainees’ preferences
for either E-C or C-E SI. More emphasis is put on C-E SI, though this thesis
only probes into some general aspects. There are limitations for the
investigation, but it does reveal some problems, such as Chinese trainees’
incompetence of the English language which has proved to be a large obstacle
for both E-C and C-E SI. Whether the training of E-C and C-E SI should be
divided into two separate phases with focus on one in each phase remains an issue
to be discussed and an area to be explored into.
Key words:
Comparison; E-C and C-E SI; investigation; Chinese trainees
De Martino, Marco. 2007. Case study dell’interpretazione simultanea di un convegno medico. Graduation thesis, SSLMIT, Università degli
Studi di Bologna, Sede di Forlì.
(English
title: “A case
study of simultaneous interpretation at a medical congress.”)
Abstract
This
thesis is a case-study on the simultaneous interpretation of a medical
congress. Starting from the authentic recordings of the event, the aim was to
highlight the differences in the two interpreters’ approach to the specialized
text, depending on the variables experience and planning of the source text
(ST).